[Drug clinics. The drug of the month. Ranitidine bismuth citrate (Pylorid)].

Ranitidine bismuth citrate (Pylorid, Glaxo-Wellcome) is a novel salt of ranitidine which provides a unique combination of properties: inhibition of secretion of gastric acid by competitive antagonism of the action of histamine at the histamine H2-receptor on the gastric parietal cell, mucosal protective effects and anti-Helicobacter pylori action. Ranitidine bismuth citrate provides effective healing and symptom relief, both in duodenal ulcer disease and in gastric ulcer disease. When coprescribed with certain antibiotics (clarithromycin alone or combined with amoxicillin or nitro-imidazole), it heals ulcers, eradicates Helicobacter pylori and prevents recurrence of the disease. Several clinical studies demonstrated that ranitidine bismuth citrate is well-tolerated and has quite similar efficacy as proton pump inhibitors.